SparkNotes: Much Ado About Nothing: Analysis of Major Characters Analysis of Major Characters Themes, Motifs & Symbols Beatrice Beatrice is the niece of Leonato, a wealthy governor of Messina. Though she is close friends with her cousin Hero, Leonato’s daughter, the two could not be less alike. Whereas Hero is polite, quiet, respectful, and gentle, Beatrice is feisty, cynical, witty, and sharp. Beatrice keeps up a “merry war” of wits with Benedick, a lord and soldier from Padua. The play suggests that she was once in love with Benedick but that he led her on and their relationship ended. Now when they meet, the two constantly compete to outdo one another with clever insults. Although she appears hardened and sharp, Beatrice is really vulnerable. Once she overhears Hero describing that Benedick is in love with her (Beatrice), she opens herself to the sensitivities and weaknesses of love. Beatrice is a prime example of one of Shakespeare’s strong female characters. She refuses to marry because she has not discovered the perfect, equal partner and because she is unwilling to eschew her liberty and submit to the will of a controlling husband.

When Hero has been humiliated and accused of violating her chastity, Beatrice explodes with fury at Claudio for mistreating her cousin. In her frustration and rage about Hero’s mistreatment, Beatrice rebels against the unequal status of women in Renaissance society. “O that I were a man for his sake! Or that I had any friend would be a man for my sake!” she passionately exclaims. “I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving” (IV.i.312–318). Benedick Benedick is the willful lord, recently returned from fighting in the wars, who vows that he will never marry. He engages with Beatrice in a competition to outwit, outsmart, and out-insult the other, but to his observant friends, he seems to feel some deeper emotion below the surface. Upon hearing Claudio and Don Pedro discussing Beatrice’s desire for him, Benedick vows to be “horribly in love with her,” in effect continuing the competition by outdoing her in love and courtship (II.iii.207). Benedick is one of the most histrionic characters in the play, as he constantly performs for the benefit of others.

He is the entertainer, indulging in witty hyperbole to express his feelings. He delivers a perfect example of his inflated rhetoric when Beatrice enters during the masked ball. Turning to his companions, Benedick grossly exaggerates how Beatrice has misused him, bidding his friends to send him to the farthest corners of the earth rather than let him spend one more minute with his nemesis: “Will your grace command me any service to the world’s end? I will go on the slightest errand now to the Antipodes that you can devise to send me on. I will fetch you a toothpicker from the furthest inch of Asia . . . do you any embassage to the pigmies, rather than hold three words’ conference with this harpy” (II.i.229–235). Of course, since Benedick is so invested in performing for the others, it is not easy for us to tell whether he has been in love with Beatrice all along or falls in love with her suddenly during the play. Benedick’s adamant refusal to marry does appear to change over the course of the play, once he decides to fall in love with Beatrice.

He attempts to conceal this transformation from his friends but really might enjoy shocking them by shaving off his beard and professing undying love to Beatrice. This change in attitude seems most evident when Benedick challenges Claudio, previously his closest friend in the world, to duel to the death over Claudio’s accusation as to Hero’s unchaste behavior. There can be no doubt at this point that Benedick has switched his allegiances entirely over to Beatrice. Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon Of all the main characters in Much Ado About Nothing, Don Pedro seems the most elusive. He is the noblest character in the social hierarchy of the play, and his friends Benedick and Claudio, though equals in wit, must always defer to him because their positions depend upon his favor. Don Pedro has power, and he is well aware of it; whether or not he abuses this power is open to question. Unlike his bastard brother, the villain Don John, Don Pedro most often uses his power and authority toward positive ends. But like his half-brother, Don Pedro manipulates other characters as much as he likes.

For instance, he insists on wooing Hero for Claudio himself, while masked, rather than allowing Claudio to profess his love to Hero first. Of course, everything turns out for the best—Don Pedro’s motives are purely in the interest of his friend. But we are left wondering why Don Pedro feels the need for such an elaborate dissimulation merely to inform Hero of Claudio’s romantic interest. It seems simply that it is Don Pedro’s royal prerogative to do exactly as he wishes, and no one can question it. Despite his cloudy motives, Don Pedro does work to bring about happiness. It is his idea, for instance, to convince Beatrice and Benedick that each is in love with the other and by doing so bring the two competitors together. He orchestrates the whole plot and plays the role of director in this comedy of wit and manners. Don Pedro is the only one of the three gallants not to end up with a wife at the end. Benedick laughingly jokes in the final scene that the melancholy prince must “get thee a wife” in order to enjoy true happiness (V.iv.117). The question necessarily arises as to why Don Pedro is sad at the end of a joyous comedy.

Perhaps his exchange with Beatrice at the masked ball—in which he proposes marriage to her and she jokingly refuses him, taking his proposal as mere sport—pains him; perhaps he is truly in love with Beatrice. The text does not give us a conclusive explanation for his melancholy, nor for his fascination with dissembling. This uncertainly about his character helps to make him one of the most thought-provoking characters in the play. More Help Much Ado About Nothing | Shakespeare: Plays & Sonnets | Educator.com Shakespeare: Plays & Sonnets Test names are the registered trademarks of their respective owners. Said owners are not affiliated with Educator.com. Enter your Sign on user name and password. Username Shakespeare: Plays & Sonnets Much Ado About Nothing II. Plays: Lecture 7 | 30:34 min Lecture Description In this lesson, our instructor Rebekah Hendershot teaches Much Ado About Nothing. Youll go over the complete background of the play, the setting, and the characters. Rebekah explains each character in detail, including Don Pedro, Benedick, Claudio, Don John, Hero, Beatrice, Antonio, Dogberry, Leonato and everyone in between.

Youll learn each element of the plot from when the guests first arrive to the final wedding day. Themes, major passages, and essay topic jumping-off points are also discussed. With Rebekah youll discuss topics such as deception, language, puns, wit, and tragedy. The lesson concludes with a few secrets to make understanding Shakespeare a lot easier. Start learning today , and be successful in your academic & professional career. Start Today! Loading video... This is a quick preview of the lesson. For full access, please Log In or Sign up . For more information, please see full course syllabus of Shakespeare: Plays & Sonnets Next Lecture Share this knowledge with your friends! Our free lessons will get you started ( Adobe Flash® required). Get immediate access to our entire library. Unlimited access to our entire library of courses. Search and jump to exactly what you want to learn. *Ask questions and get answers from the community and our teachers! Practice questions with step-by-step solutions. Download lesson files for programming and software training practice. Track your course viewing progress. Download lecture slides for taking notes. Learn at your own pace... anytime, anywhere!

Much Ado About Nothing First Things First This lesson will teach you how to read and understand a play by William Shakespeare, one of the greatest playwrights in the history of the English language (and the man who invented quite a lot of it). These videos are not a substitute for reading Shakespeare, listening to Shakespeare, or watching Shakespeare performed. Seriously. Don’t be that guy. Background Taken from various Italian romances Performed at a court wedding in 1613 Beatrice and Benedick are original to Shakespeare One of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies Published in 1600 Visitors from Aragon, Padua, Florence A recent war Major Characters Don Pedro—The kind prince of Aragon; he dabbles in matchmaking and practical jokes Benedick—Nobleman from Padua, companion of Don Pedro, accidental lover of Beatrice, incorrigible wit and smartmouthextroardinaire Claudio—Count of Florence, lover of Hero, and all-around straight man. Don John—“Bastard prince” of Aragon; he hates his brother, Don Pedro, and likes to spoil his plans Borachio and Conrade—Servants of Don John. Borachio romances Margaret.

Leonato—Governor of Messina, father of Hero, host of the action. Hero—Daughter of Leonato, cousin of Beatrice, ingenue. She falls in love with Claudio. Beatrice—Cousin of Hero, a witty smartmouth who has a “merry war” of words with Benedick, and later falls in love with him. Antonio—old man, brother of Leonato. Ursula and Margaret—Hero’s attendants. Margaret wears Hero’s clothes to impersonate her (though it’s not clear whether she knows about the plot). Friar Francis—A priest Dogberry—A self-important night watchman who botches everything he does.

Plot Visitors on the way home from the wars Brave soldiers Everyone in a good mood Claudio and Hero Don John messes with Claudio Beatrice messes with Benedick A game to fill the time A plot against the lovers Eavesdropping in the garden Beatrice and Benedick in love-ish An accusation and promised proof The polite watchmen Beatrice and Benedickconfess their love “Kill Claudio.” Two challenges to a duel The watchmen reveal all The Bs attempt to flirt The wedding day Gender roles and sexual fidelity Deception and self-deception Language and social grace Major Passages “They say the lady is fair. ‘Tis a truth, I can bear them witness. And virtuous—’tis so, I cannot reprove it. And wise, but for loving me. By my troth, it is no addition to her wit—nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her.” -Act II, Scene 3, 204-208 “That what we have, we prize not to the worth Whiles we enjoy it, but, being lacked and lost, . . .

then we find The virtue that possession would not show us Whiles it was ours.” -Act IV Scene 1, 217-221 “Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost thou not suspect my years? O that he were here to write me down an ass! But masters, remember that I am an ass. Though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass. No, thou villain, thou art full of piety, as shall be proved upon thee by good witness. I am a wise fellow, and which is more, an officer, and which is more, a householder, and which is more, as pretty a piece of flesh as any is in Messina, and one that knows the law, go to . . . and one that hath two gowns, and everything handsome about him. Bring him away. O that I had been writ down an ass!” -Act IV, Scene 2, 67-78 Jumping-Off Points Beatrice and Benedick appear to be largely Shakespeare’s inventions—they do not appear in his source material, and they seem to take over the play.

(In some places, this play is called “Beatrice and Benedick”.) Analyze the contributions of these two characters to the play’s plot and themes. On the surface, Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy, yet it has some very dark elements. In what ways is this play a tragedy? A play is a work of art in which people pretend to be something they are not in order to tell a story that is not true. Add to that a story about deception and you’ve got a complicated show (or at least a headache). Examine the role of deception and theatricality in this play. This play monkeys around with language more than any other Shakespeare play. How do the characters use words to wound and to heal? (Remember that even the title is a pun!) Honor is huge in Much Ado About Nothing—sexual honor and reputation for the women, fidelity and courage for the men. Are these two kinds of honor of equal value? How durable are they? What kinds of insults can be shrugged off, and how must the others be answered? Beatrice and Benedick can fire off an endless stream of wit in conversation, yet neither one can write a love poem to save his or her life.

How do words (or the lack thereof) reveal character in this play? The Secret of Understanding Shakespeare Watch it performed (or on film if you can’t get to a theatrical production). All of Shakespeare makes more sense when it’s spoken by actors who have lived his words and know, bone-deep, what he’s talking about. Never underestimate the power of performance. Remember that this is how Shakespeare meant his work to be seen … Much Ado About Nothing Lecture Slides are screen-captured images of important points in the lecture. Students can download and print out these lecture slide images to do practice problems as well as take notes while watching the lecture.

Download All Slides Visitors on the way home from the wars The guests arrive A plot against the lovers Eavesdropping in the garden Beatrice and Benedick in love-ish An accusation and promised proof The polite watchmen Two challenges to a duel The watchmen reveal all The Bs attempt to flirt The wedding day Act II, scene 3, 204-208 Act IV, scene 1, 217-221 Act IV, scene 2, 67-78 Jumping-off Points 26:28 The Shakespeare Sisterhood Gallery - Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing The Shakespeare Sisterhood: Beatrice Beatrice, like many another woman before and since, is the slave of a pert tongue; her intellect, though quick, is not strong enough to keep her vanity in subjection, and the consciousness of possessing in a ready wit the power of discomfiting others, proves a successful snare for her good taste and all the graceful effects of her gentle breeding. It is only in situations so inspiring as to compel her for the moment to forget her flippant affectations, that she appears as Nature made her -- a spirited, generous, clever woman.

One is apt to liken Beatrice to Rosalind; yet their only points of resemblance consist of dramatic situations somewhat similar, and the distinguishing endowment of wit. As to the quality of this gift, however, the two ladies so differ that it can scarcely constitute a characteristic in common between them. The wit of Beatrice, brilliant as it is, is but the dazzle of words -- it has no imaginative element, none of the half-playful pathos which renders that of Rosalind so charming; the two compare as the cold, artificial glitter of a diamond with the cordial warmth of sunshine. To use Benedick's own words -- and he, as chief sufferer, should be excellent authority -- Beatrice "speaks poignards, and every word stabs;" while, in the poetic simile of Mrs.

Jameson, "the wit of Rosalind bubbles up and sparkles like the living fountain, refreshing all around." Beatrice has none of Rosalind's romantic susceptibility, no passion; her love for Benedick we can never regard as more than an experimental freak; though, to do her justice, her soliloquy in the garden, where, concealed, she has overheard that Benedick loves her, is creditable alike to her heart and her good sense: What fire is in mine ears? Can this be true? Stand I condemn'd for pride and scorn so much? Contempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu! No glory lives behind the back of such. And, Benedick, love on; I will requite thee -- Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand; If thou dost love, my kindness shall incite thee To bind our loves up in a holy band: For others say thou dost deserve; and I Believe it better than reportingly. How to cite this article: Palmer, Henrietta L. The Stratford gallery, or, The Shakespeare sisterhood. New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1859. Shakespeare Online. 20 Oct. 2009.

(date when you accessed the information) < >. ___________ Beatrice and Benedick :: Life and Times :: Internet Shakespeare Editions Internet Shakespeare Editions Beatrice and Benedick From the Roxburghe Ballads. University of Victoria Library. These two characters exemplify the expression "the course of true love never did run smooth" (which Lysander says in A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1.1.134). The two appear to have had an earlier relationship, but the details given by Shakespeare are few indeed* . The displays of aggression toward one another and the obsession evident for the other in the early scenes of the play suggest that they feel more for each other than simple animosity. The process through which they are tricked to confessing their love for one another is truly delightful, as their strong wits and deep eloquence are overcome by relatively simplistic trickery that suggests that they are only too willing to believe what they hear. Nevertheless, they continue to quarrel throughout the play as they are, as Benedick says, "too wise to woo peaceably" (5.2.61). Courtship and the courtier.

When Benedick decides that Beatrice loves him, he decides to be "horribly in love with her" (2.3.231); he then does his best to court her according to the fashion of courtly love , though he says finally that he was not "born under a rhyming planet" (5.1.39). Footnotes The earlier relationship is suggested at one point by an exchange between Don Pedro and Beatrice: Don Pedro: Come lady, come, you have lost the heart of SignorBenedick. Beatrice: Indeed, my lord, he lent it me a while, and I gave him use for it, a double heart for his single one. Marry, once before he won it of me, with false dice. Therefore your grace may well say I have lost it. (2.1.240-245). Benedick Benedick Bookmark this page Manage My Reading List Benedick is almost a match for Beatrice as a memorable Shakespearean character. His apparent misogyny and unwillingness to make a commitment to a woman are almost stereotypes early in the play.

His use of language, especially in his "merry war" with Beatrice, prevents him from being the clichéd male who refuses to commit to a relationship. Benedick has probably had a lot of experience with women, only one of whom was Beatrice. He vehemently declares his intent to remain a bachelor and disparages Claudio for wanting to marry Hero, "Leonato's short daughter." He restates his disdain of love and marriage in a monologue alone on stage — even more likely to express his true feelings than his teasing comments to a companion he will lose through marriage. Throughout the early scenes, his exchanges with Beatrice create a feeling that he "doth protest too much" — that is, he really harbors at least affection for Beatrice. It takes the "noting" scene near the arbor, arranged by Don Pedro, for Benedick to admit he may indeed be able to love Beatrice since she loves him so much. His subsequent meetings with Beatrice and with his friends show a marked change in his attitudes and demeanor from the early scenes. He recognizes that he may be opening himself up for ridicule at his reversal of his well-known attitudes, but he sees his opening up as a part of maturing.

His support for Beatrice after the denunciation, including his confrontation with Claudio, demonstrates not only his commitment to Beatrice, but also the value he places on justice even at the risk of loyalty. He becomes single-minded about marrying Beatrice, probably speaking to Leonato about her immediately after the confrontation with Claudio and again just before the wedding. His new behavior finally culminates in his public proposal to her, risking not only her refusal and contempt, but also the ridicule of the assembled company. Has Benedick changed during the week of the play? Most certainly, both in his public and his private attitudes. That a dyed-in-the-wool bachelor is transformed into an eager bridegroom is extraordinary, yet Shakespeare makes it believable, with a little help from Benedick's friends. Characters: Much Ado about Nothing — Utah Shakespeare Festival Characters: Much Ado about Nothing Characters: Much Ado about Nothing Don Pedro: The visiting prince of Aragon and longtime friend of many in Messina, Don Pedro is a resourceful young man who likes action and entertainment. He is a half-brother of Don John and close companion of Claudio and Benedick.

Don John: The illegitimate half-brother of Don Pedro, Don John has recently fought with his more powerful and more noble brother, but they have reached an uneasy reconciliation. He is a malcontent and a villain; however, compared with Shakespeare’s other dark characters, Don John is a mild and rather ineffective villain. Borachio does his thinking for him. His machinations are regarded, like many other parts of the play, as amounting to nothing. Claudio: A young man from Florence, Claudio is a dear friend of Don Pedro and Benedick and quickly falls in love and is betrothed to Hero. In the beginning of the play, he is a weak and rather ineffective character, though he shows some growth before the end of the play. Still, he is typical of a certain breed of Shakespearean characters who are inferior to the women they marry. Benedick: A young man from Padua, Benedick has a sparkling wit, is a friend of Don Pedro and Claudio, and has vowed he will never marry; however, in the end he too is smitten by love and makes an ideal match with Beatrice. One of Shakespeare’s comic heroes, Benedick is quick to act on belief and feeling.

For example, once convinced that Beatrice is in love with him, he is willing to go to any extreme to please her, even that of killing Claudio. Leonato: The governor of Messina, father of Hero, and uncle of Beatrice, Leonato is host to Don Pedro and his comrades-in-arms. At first somewhat unappreciative and untrusting of his daughter, he is convinced in the end that Hero is blameless and deserving of pity and sympathy, rather than censure. Antonio: The brother of Leonato and the uncle of Hero and Beatrice, Antonio is Leonato’s helpful and trusting friend throughout the play. Balthasar: A musician employed by Don Pedro, Balthasar attends faithfully to his prince. Borachio: A drunken and unscrupulous follower of Don John, Borachio almost outdoes his master in villainy. He will do almost anything for money, and it is he who stages a scene with Margaret that practically wrecks the lives of Hero and Claudio. Conrade: Another of Don John’s henchmen, Conrade is an underling to Borachio and helps him in his treacherous plots.

Friar Francis: The priest who performs the marriage ceremony of Claudio and Hero, he believes in Hero’s innocence and is the driving force behind clearing her name. Dogberry: A comic character, Dogberry is the constable who unwittingly uncovers the villainous plot against Claudio and Hero. Coarse, ignorant, dunderheaded, and likable, his blundering efforts contribute much humor to the play. Verges: The headborough of the region, Verges is as equally simple and comic as his companion, Dogberry. Hero: The only daughter of Leonato and cousin and constant companion of Beatrice, Hero quickly wins Claudio’s heart and then suffers much as the result of Don John’s machinations. She is not a strong character and is overshadowed by the scintillating Beatrice. She does show some growth and character development, however, and matures because of the suffering she goes through. She is much more ready for marriage at the end of the play than she was at the beginning. Beatrice: The niece of Leonato and cousin and confidant of Hero, Beatrice is the perfect foil for Benedick, whom she eventually falls in love with and marries.

In the play’s skirmish of wits with Benedick, Beatrice shows liveliness, humor and a keen intelligence; indeed her power of repartee is probably excelled by no other Shakespearean character. Margaret: Hero’s lady-in-waiting, Margaret was Borachio’s accomplice in tricking Claudio into thinking Hero was untrue. However, whether she was a willing or knowing accomplice is a matter of speculation and one of the loose stitches in the play. Ursula: Another of Hero’s ladies-in-waiting, Ursula has a much smaller role in the play. × Dates and sources | Much Ado About Nothing | Royal Shakespeare Company Much Ado About Nothing Dates and sources Dates and sources Discover when Much Ado About Nothing was written and the sources Shakespeare may have used to inspire his story. Diana Wynyard and Anthony Quayle as Beatrice and Benedick, 1949. Photo by Angus McBean © RSC – Image Licensing Dates The play was probably written between 1598 and 1599 within a few years of The Merchant of Venice.

There is no mention of Much Ado About Nothing in Frances Meres' 1598 compilation Palladis Tamis but it does list Love's Labour's Won, thought by some to be an alternative title for the play. By 1600, when the first Quarto edition of the play was published, Much Ado About Nothing was said to have been 'acted publicly several times'. Will Kemp, the comedian who is known to have played Dogberry, left the Lord Chamberlain's Company during 1599. Sources The Hero-Claudio plot is very old and appears in Greek, Spanish and Italian romances, notably in Ariosto's Orlando Furioso which was translated by Sir John Harington in 1591. The story was re-worked by Bandello in his 1554 Novella, as the tale of Sir Timbreo and Fenicia, which also featured the characters Piero King of Aragon and Lionato of Messina. Spenser's The Fairie Queene could also have been an influence, so it is likely that Shakespeare drew on many of these works. The Beatrice and Benedick plot is thought to be largely Shakespeare's own invention.

However, it is possible that Shakespeare was aware of Sir Thomas Hoby's 1561 translation of Castiligione's The Courtier. The English text includes a remark that some fell in love 'onely for that they heard say the opinion of many was that they loved together'. The plays of John Lyly also featured witty couples who scorn love but then succumb to Cupid's darts. The characters of Dogberry, Verges and the Watch appear to be unique Shakespeare creations. The Ale-House Jester and the Wit of Benedick and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing The Quarrel of Benedick and Beatrice From A memorial volume to Shakespeare and Harvey . ed. by A. C. Judson. Austin: University Press. On the average modern reader the quarrel of Benedick and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, II, 1, makes no exceptional impression. It seems little more than a renewed attack in the war of wits between the two which the reader has been following up to this point.

Beatrice is accused of borrowing her jests from A Hundred Merry Tales, and retaliates by comparing Benedick's wit to that of the "prince's jester." Why is Benedick, who takes Beatrice's seemingly more bitter taunts in good part, roused to such wrath at this? The blow to his mere vanity as a wit does not seem to explain sufficiently the effect on him, nor does the view that the sparring of the two here simply brings to a climax the rising anger of Benedick. Such an interpretation is not true to the spirit of the play or to the emphasis laid on the passage in the development of Shakespeare's plot. For it is immediately after this � after Benedick in recounting the quarrel to Don Pedro has declared that he would not marry Beatrice "though she were endowed with all that Adam had left him before he transgressed" � that Don Pedro proposes what is characterized as "one of Hercules' labours," to make the two antagonists fall in love with each other. The truth is that the quarrel has lost for modern readers the force of its meaning; its richness in suggestion for Renaissance readers and hearers has faded out.

Beatrice's taunt is not a last straw for the already nettled Benedick, but a most outrageous insult. In order to understand Benedick's feeling that Beatrice has been guilty of an unpardonable insult, one must understand the exceptional value set by the courtly classes of the Renaissance upon a wit that represented humanistic culture, and the absolute condemnation of certain types of jesting. At an early period in the Renaissance, humanists began to formulate a doctrine of true wit, or wit that belonged to the ideals of courtesy and consequently differentiated the man of true virtue or distinction from the vulgar. 1 Schoolboys as well as courtiers were trained in the types of jests appropriate to the man of culture. 2 Even rhetorics like Wilson's Arte of Rhetorique dealt with the matter as a phase of Renaissance education. Wilson classified types of jesting that were to be avoided, and distinguished "betwixt a common jester, and a pleasant wiseman." 3 But to true or cultured wit the Renaissance gave the highest approval. Some early humanists like Sir Thomas More were esteemed as highly for their wit as for any other quality.

The stress laid on wit by the courtesy books has led some students to find the source of Benedick and Beatrice in the greatest of the courtesy books, Il Cortegiano, as translated by Sir Thomas Hoby. 4 It is more probable, however, that Shakespeare was merely sharing the Renaissance passion for wit, and in portraying his witty characters like Biron and Rosaline, and Benedick and Beatrice reflected simply the witty conversation affected by English gallants and ladies at Elizabeth's court and among those who imitated the customs of the court. Lyly's Euphues and his plays, as well as other novels and plays of the last quarter of the sixteenth century, illustrate the vogue. In Shakespeare's early comedies there is a great elaboration of the various types of wit current in the age, and his characters, along with those of his contemporaries in general, observe with a fair degree of consistency the laws of decorum in the use of types of wit and humorous language. We have the raillery and mockery of the courtly class; the plays upon words, antithetical retorts and logical fence; the hyperbole, the conceits, the far-fetched similes and metaphors of its love poetry.

Nearest to wit of the courtly type and often not easily to be distinguished from it, is the wit of the page, with his perverse logic, his impudent mockery, and his shrewd waggishness. Dromio of Syracuse and Speed illustrate the type best in Shakespeare, though they have a stronger tinge of the clown than Lyly's pages. More clownish still is the type of wit seen in such servants as Dromio of Ephesus and Launce, with their soliloquies and droll narratives interspersed with reports of conversations � characters akin in wit to the vices of the older drama. But to the Elizabethan the most degraded of all forms of wit arising from conscious effort was that of the professional fool, or jester, who in his worst form was known as the ale-house jester. Theoretically the wit of any of these less favored classes would have been disgraceful in a courtly person, marking him as an inferior in culture and social standing. 5 In Elizabeth's court, where gallants and ladies constantly paraded their wit and even pages revealed the same passion, the professional jester and the pure simpleton do not seem to have found an important place.

Their function had not altogether died out, however. Some fools were retained in noblemen's houses, 6 and the old jest books, whose tales were often grouped around the names of jesters of Henry VIII's court, were exceedingly popular among the common people. Some of these stories set forth the jests of people of rank, but all were condemned by the courtly and cultivated at the end of the sixteenth century. The accusation that her jests were stolen from A Hundred Merry Tales was in itself an insult that Beatrice was not slow to resent. She repaid the insult with overflowing measure, however, when she not only called Benedick "a very dull fool" but added a turn that gave mortal offence. She described him unmistakably as the ale-house jester. "Beatrice � Why, he is the prince's jester: a very dull fool: only his gift is in devising impossible slanders: none out libertines delight in him; and the commendation is not in his wit, but in his villany; for he both pleases men and angers them, and then they laugh at him and beat him. . . . Benedick � When I know the gentleman, I'll tell him what you say.

Beatrice � Do, do: he'll but break a comparison or two on me; which, peradventure not marked or not laughed at, strikes him into melancholy; and then there's a partridge wing saved, for the fool will eat no supper that night." The ale-house jester had been condemned earlier in the sixteenth century, as by Wilson in his Arte of Rhetorique, but by the end of the century he was one type of professional jester that was almost universally condemned and in the most indignant terms, particularly as one who misled young gentlemen, nobles, and princes. His jests were not mere second-hand tales and more or less stupid retorts; they were scurrilous, degraded, and vicious � "villany," as Beatrice declares. His attraction lay in the sharpness of his raillery and abuse, and his was a studied art to amuse young men to their own damage and to the profit of this new type of professional parasite. The most exhaustive picture of him in his most detestable phase is given by Jonson in Carlo Buffone of Every Man Out of His Humour.

Carlo represents in his main traits the buffoon as condemned by Aristotle and the ale-house jester as condemned by Wilson and other humanists. Jonson's character apparently reflects, also, the most famous of the actual jesters representing the type at the end of the sixteenth century, Charles Chester. All the vices ascribed to Benedick as the "prince's jester" are scathingly rebuked in the figure of Carlo. Though less complete than Jonson's, there are also a number of illustrations of the type before Shakespeare. Nashe's picture of Chester in Pierce Pennilesse illustrates all the points of Beatrice's sketch, the slanders of the jester, the prince's laughing at his scurrility and yet beating him in anger, the "breaking of a comparison" as a feature of his art.

Nashe condemns not only the jester but the keeper as well: "It is a disparagement to those that haue any true sparke of Gentilitie, to be noted of the whole world so to delight in detracting, that they should keepe a venemous toothd Cur, and feed him with the crums that fall from their table, to do nothing but bite euery one by the shins that passe by. If they will needes be merry, let them haue a foole and not a knaue to disport them, and seeke some other to bestow their almes on, than such an impudent begger." 7 Shakespeare himself had used the type before Much Ado. When in Henry IV he represented the youth of Henry V, who according to old stories was given to wild company, he changed the picture of a young prince who was merely an associate of robbers in The Famous Victories of Henry V into that of a young prince misled by an ale-house jester. The age readily understood such an association, for men were seeing it and condemning it, as I have pointed out.

Shakespeare does not, however, make the prince who developed into his ideal king the patron of a mere scurrilous, railing parasite. The jester who exercises his wit to procure meals from Prince Hal is made the most subtle and genial humorist of all literature. But the essential basis of the sketch must not be forgotten. Falstaff gets his meals by his jesting; his jesting is frequently raillery and abuse; and his abuse of the Prince is rank enough to justify Hal, if he had been so disposed in beating him as other ale-house parasites are represented as being beaten when they went too far with their patrons. Further, a large amount of Falstaff's wit is in the nature of the "absurd comparisons" which are stressed so fully by Nashe and Jonson, and are imputed to Benedick by Beatrice. It is worth noting that in spite of the sharp distinctions drawn between true wit and unworthy railing and in spite of the great pride in wit revealed among the cultured like Benedick and Beatrice in the Renaissance, both Benedick and Beatrice betray an unusual sensitiveness to the charge of grossness in wit.

Mary Lamb remarks in regard to Benedick, "There is nothing that great wits so much dread as the imputation of buffoonery, because the charge comes sometimes a little too near the truth." Benedick in reflecting on Beatrice's charges says, "The prince's fool! Ha? It may be I go under that title because I am merry." But the hesitation about the worthiness of his wit is only momentary; he immediately ascribes such an estimate to the "base, though bitter, disposition of Beatrice," and expresses afterwards nothing but indignation at the charges brought against him as a wit. Beatrice is forced to hear a similar estimate of her wit, though she is accused merely of pride and scorn, not of "villany." when Hero and Ursula are baiting her in III, 1, knowing that she overhears, her raillery is condemned, and with a kind of poetic justice she is accused of transforming men with the absurd comparisons that make up a part of her picture of Benedick as an ale-house jester. "Why, you speak truth. I never yet saw man. How wise, how noble, young, how rarely featured.

But she would spell him backward: if fair-faced, She would swear the gentleman should be her sister; If black, why, Nature, drawing of an antique. Made a foul blot; if tall, a lance ill-headed; If low, an agate very vilely cut; If speaking, why a vane blown with all winds; If silent, why, a block moved with none. So turns she every man the wrong side out And never gives to truth and virtue that Which simpleness and merit purchaseth." In answer to this indictment Beatrice soliloquizes, "What fire is in mine ears? Can this be true? Stand I condemn 'd for pride and scorn so much? Comtempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu! No glory lives behind the back of such." As a matter of fact, though courtly wit was sharply differentiated from all that savored of scurrility and clownishness, much of the wit of Lyly's courtly characters and of Shakespeare's in the plays up to and including Much Ado is of the railing and personal type.

The conventional treatment of heroines in Italian novelle and in the fiction of all Elizabeth's reign presents them as unapproachable and scornful of all wooers, and their scorn is best expressed in their wit. The convention is conspicuous in Love's Labour's Lost. But, at the end of the century, new developments in the idea of what was allowable in wit are very clear. Not only does the satire on the absurd similes or comparisons that appear in the accounts of Chester, of Falstaff, and of Carlo Buffone, and in the accusations against Benedick and Beatrice seem to have received fresh emphasis, 8 but the scorn and pride of the unapproachable court lady was also going out of fashion.

When Beatrice is being lectured into love, Ursula remarks, "Sure, sure, such carping is not commendable," and Hero replies, SparkNotes: Much Ado About Nothing: Act V, scenes i–ii (page 2) Much Ado About Nothing Act V, scenes i–ii (page 2) → Act V, scenes i–ii, page 1 Act V, scenes iii–iv page 2 of 2 The revelation of Borachio’s crime to Claudio and the rest marks another turning point in the play. Don John’s deception has led inexorably to Claudio’s rejection of Hero, darkening the play’s atmosphere of lighthearted comedy. Dogberry and the Watch’s accusation of Borachio and Conrad seems to open the way to understanding and resolution. Claudio’s reaction to the information mirrors what the wise friar predicts in Act IV, scene i: he begins to remember Hero’s good qualities. “Sweet Hero, now thy image doth appear / In the rare semblance that I loved it first,” he says to himself (V.i.235–236).

The punishment that Leonato extracts from him might seem light revenge for the death of a daughter, but, of course, we know—as he knows—that Hero isn’t really dead. The punishment obviously establishes the grounds for a happy ending. If all goes well, it seems, Claudio is being set up to marry Hero, in a sort of redemptive masquerade. Act V, scene ii, which develops the growing relationship between Benedick and Beatrice, is one of the funniest and most touching courtship scenes in Shakespeare’s works. It gives the audience a chance to laugh at Benedick and Beatrice as they grapple with the apparent folly of their love for one another, and also to see that their relationship is developing into one that is both affectionate and mature. Moreover, somehow they manage to speak sweetly to each other without losing their biting wit. Benedick, in fact, laughs at himself when he laments his inability to write love poetry. “No,” Benedick concludes, “I was not born under a rhyming planet, nor I cannot woo in festival terms” (V.ii.34–35).

Benedick’s inability to write underlines the difference between the witty and improvisatory court rhetoric that he is so good at and the very stylized conventions of Renaissance love poetry. Beatrice and Benedick interlace their conversation with news about developments in the main plot of the play, but, throughout, they tease one another with gentle affection—and, of course, with never-ending insults. Benedick sums up their situation by saying, “Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably” (V.ii.61). This assessment seems to be true in several respects—they will never have peace, for both are too lively and independent. But both are also wise, and it looks as if their love will grow into a deep, mature relationship in which both will continue to sparkle in the other’s company. The two also express genuine fondness. To Beatrice’s assertion that she feels unwell psychologically, Benedick asks her to “serve God, love me, and mend” (V.ii.78). When she invites him to come with her to talk with Leonato, he answers, “I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes.

And moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle’s” (V.ii.86–87). Here Benedick plays with a typical Renaissance sexual euphemism, the idea of dying referring to a sexual orgasm. Discuss The Differences Between Beatrice And Hero In The Early Scenes Of The Play - Research Paper / English Discuss The Differences Between Beatrice And Hero In The Early Scenes Of The Play This essay Discuss The Differences Between Beatrice And Hero In The Early Scenes Of The Play is available for you on Essays24.com! Search Term Papers, College Essay Examples and Free Essays on Essays24.com - full papers database. Autor: anton • October 30, 2010 • 1,205 Words (5 Pages) • 1,083 Views Page 1 of 5 Discuss the differences between Beatrice and Hero in the early scenes of the play Shakespeare's play 'Much Ado about Nothing' has two main female characters, Beatrice and Hero, who are cousins. Both appear to be completely different in the beginning of the play but, as things progress and their characters develop, there are also some very obvious similarities between them.

Hero and Beatrice have a very close relationship; they are best friends. Leonato is Hero's father but Beatrice has no parents, which gives her greater freedom. Where Hero is polite, quiet, respectful and gentle, Beatrice is feisty, cynical, witty, and sharp. Shakespeare uses quite a lot of literary devices and techniques to present the characters of Hero and Beatrice in a way that lets the audience easily compare and contrast them. For example, in the characterisation of Hero and Beatrice, the dialogue used - what they say, how they say it, what other characters say about them and Hero's silence are all very important in revealing their characters; in a similar way, their actions - what the characters do, and their inaction contrasts and creates significant difference between them, bringing each one's personality. In addition, Shakespeare's constant use of dramatic irony, exaggeration and contrasting plots, themes and structure all combine in his presentation of the two. At the start of the play Hero is presented as a typical woman of the time, modest and demure - she says little. In fact, Shakespeare's first words describing Hero, 'Is she not a modest young lady' announce her essential qualities of modesty and decorum.

In this period, these were vital qualities to have in a wife and Hero possessed them, unlike Beatrice. By contrast, Shakespeare portrays Beatrice as an untypical woman, being outspoken, independent, witty and unconventional - she is always participating in the conversation even with the men (especially Benedick), which Hero never does. A prime example of this in Act 1 is when Beatrice asks the messenger about Benedick, (a lord, and soldier from Padua) in an offensive way: "I pray you, is Signor Mountanto returned from the wars or no?" This is part of her "merry war" with Benedick. Beatrice appears to loathe Benedick and vice versa; they engage in many "skirmishes of wit." However, although Beatrice appears hardened and sharp, she is vulnerable, for she loves Benedick. She is disguising her feelings for Benedick by calling him names and disguise is a major theme in this play. Beatrice's vulnerability is an important point of comparison with Hero, as she is also vulnerable, as we see later in the play.

In contrast to her talkative cousin, Hero speaks only once in Act 1 - in the presence of Beatrice, her father and the messenger, "My cousin means Signor Benedick of Padua" she says, to explain Beatrice's jibe. Similarly, in comparing wooing, wedding and repenting to three types of dancing Beatrice describes them as a "Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinquepace." This dance image is an inventive one and dance, music, and song are key themes in this play. Here Shakespeare is using an extended metaphor to portray Beatrice's anti-matrimonial feelings. Of course, these feelings are not genuine. As we see throughout, disguise is one of the key themes in the play and Shakespeare makes it clear that Beatrice is disguising her true feelings, for she admits to Don Pedro that Benedick once "lent her his heart awhile but won her heart with false dice". She and Benedick obviously have had a relationship in the past - one that they would both like to resume. In Act 3, in the absence of men, Shakespeare develops Hero's character. She is decisive in Scene One and commanding, "Good Margaret, run thee to the parlour" she orders.

We witness a development in Hero's character; she is dominant and authoritative; she initiates and organises the plot to gull Beatrice, the second benevolent plot in the play. For the first time in the play, Shakespeare also provides Hero with a poetic image, "Forbid the sun to enter - like favourites, Made proud princes that advance their pride." And we see that Hero is clever enough to denigrate Beatrice, "Of the false sweet bait that we lay for it." in order to make Beatrice believe that they do not know she's listening, otherwise they would not discuss her faults. Although Beatrice

Question: In which Shakespeare play do the characters 'Beatrice' and 'Benedick' appear?
Answer: 'MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING'